“We’re hiring pilots, flight attendants, ground staff; we’re hiring in all categories of the company,” the airline’s chief executive officer, Ed Bastian, said in a recent interview. “We’re the process of hiring 6,000 people this year and, at least, a like amount next year.”

Although shares were down Thursday, the company’s third-quarter earnings beat Wall Street estimates and shares are up more than 3 percent on the year.

Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian announced that the company plans to hire 12,000 new employees by next year. Pictured is a Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-300. (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Bastian said he expects to gain market share as the Atlanta-based company stopped flying the Boeing 737 Max, which was grounded earlier this year following two deadly crashes linked to mechanical issues with the engine. Delta picked up fliers from other carriers.